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RDC is unique and doesn’t have to worry about cuts aimed at reducing duplication, says its president

Peter Nunoda waits to see what changes the provincial budget will bring
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Peter Nunoda is the president of Red Deer College. (Advocate file photo).

Red Deer College offers a unique mix of programs in an under-served area, so its president is not worried about a report that describes Alberta’s post-secondary network as being rife with duplication.

“This is not applicable for RDC,” said Peter Nunoda.

He noted the college will continue to offer a wealth of trades programs to central Albertans while it transitions towards becoming a university — and even after.

“We are the third largest for trades training in the province,” added Nunoda, who feels this area between Edmonton and Calgary does not have many other post-secondary offerings.

A report on provincial spending, from a panel chaired by former Saskatchewan finance minister Janice MacKinnon, was critical of Alberta’s $5.6 billion post-secondary system.

The report recommended removing a tuition caps and cutting down on the duplication of programs. It found a poor completion rates at some institutions.

The panel suggested the government re-think how the 26 colleges and universities in the province are funded and directed, how they raise money, and whether it would make sense to consolidate resources into fewer institutions.

Alberta’s Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said no decision on any changes has yet been made, since his department is still considering the panel’s findings.

No one wants to consider shutting down an institution, said the minister while making a trades announcement in Edmonton. He added whether the tuition cap will be removed will be known when the Oct. 24 budget is delivered.

Nunoda, who noted RDC has among the lowest tuitions in the province, is interested in seeing what the budget brings.

He’s aware that some students are concerned about the amount of debt they will be shouldering when starting their careers. Nunoda believes future “conversations” will be held about tuitions, including the student perspective.

Nunoda comes from B.C., where post-secondary institutions were under significant pressure to operate under a tuition freeze, so he said, “we would find different ways to generate revenue.”

He’s not concerned that any of the changes being considered by government will include a re-thinking of RDC’s transition towards becoming a university. “There was no indication of that and I met with the deputy minister just last week,” he said.



lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com

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